Live Session

‘The London System’

Introduction:-
In this session, GM Marian Petrov discussed about the famous topic- ‘The
London System’. During the session Marian has mainly covered all the
mainlines and side lines of the ‘London System’. Marian has given ample
examples to the students in-order to make them understand how top players,
including World Champion “Magnus Carlsen” plays the opening phase and
what is their thought process during the initial phase of the game.GM Marian
Petrov tried his best to make the session as interactive as possible and kept
asking questions to the students on regular intervals to ensure they are
learning the topic effectively.
Position-1

In this position, it’s white to play. Can

you guess the precise move(s) which
can be played in this position to
defend the b2 pawn. Well in this
position the two best moves are either
Qc1 or Qb3.Here the natural Qc2 isn’t
working in many cases due to Bf5. If
Qxf5 then Qxb2 wins the exchange for
black and if white plays Qc1 after Bf5
then he simply lost a tempo.
Position-2
Here, it’s black to move. Can you
guess the move played by well
known English GM Michael Adams.
Here Adams played Qd8! A very
strong move freeing up the b pawn
to meet b3 with b5. Here Adams
intended to keep the c4 pawn
intact as this pawn prevents white’s
main piece that is the light square
bishop to develop on it’s most
active square d3.
Position-3
In this position white just captured
on d5.So by what piece will you
capture on d5? As capturing on d5
with the pawn, Queen and the
knight looks quite promising. Well
here Adams captured on d5 with
the knight.Nxd5 is also the best
move in the position ,the reason
being it increases the pressure on
white’s weakest spot c3 square.
Position-4
In this position it’s black to play.
Can you find the best move for
black here? This thematic move
was also played by Adams in the
game. Here, Adams played the
incredible Rb3!, sacrificing the
exchange. After this black gains
huge advantage as if white doesn’t
captures the rook then he will
double the rooks on b file and will
create threats on this file. If white
captures the rook then after cxb3
black has a dangerous passed
pawn, also he will win the c pawn
on next move.
Position-5
In this position, it’s black to move.
Playing the black side of ‘London
System’ can you guess what world
champion Magnus Carlsen played
here? Well in this position Magnus
played ‘g5!’
an interesting move. Although this
move allows white to get rid off
his doubled f pawns but it also
gives black some space on the
kingside and black can aim to play
later g4 as well as e5 to gain some
serious space advantage.
Position-6

In this position white just played

Nfd2.So, can you find the move
which was played by Magnus
Carlsen which gives black some
initiative? Well the move is e5!.
This move does two things first of
all it opens up the d-file for
black’s rook and secondly, after
dxe5, Nxe5 black knight gets a
good square in the center of the
board.
Position-7
This is a study given by GM Marian.
Here, it’s white to play and win the
game so can you guess the move
played by white here? Wel,l white
has incredible move in this
position, in the form of Bg6!. After
this move black is defenseless. Let’s
see some possible lines…Bg6, fxg6,
Qxe6+ if Kf8 then Rh8#, if Qf7 the
Qxc8+ is winning.
If after Bg6, Rxd3, Bh7+!, Kf8, Bxf5
threatening Rh8#, Kg8 Bxd3 and
white is a piece up.
Position-8
Here it’s white to play and win.
Can you demonstrate the
winning line? Actually it’s mate
in 5 let’s see the mating
line…Kg3, Kg1, Ne3, Kh1, Ng4,
Kg1, Nf3+, Kh1 ,Nf2#. So , it was
quite easy and when there is a
forced line calculating variations
becomes easy as well.
 Quote-

“You can only good at chess if you love the game”

-Bobby Fischer